State Partnership Program

Established in 2003, the goal of the State Partnership Program is to establish broad reaching, friendly ties between partner states and partner countries at all levels of society utilizing the National Guard as the catalyzing force and means of support.

September 2016 marked the 25th anniversary of Tajikistan’s independence, and the partnership between the Virginia National Guard and Tajikistan is in its 14th year. As part of the SPP, the Virginia National Guard regularly conducts information exchanges on a variety of subjects related to security and emergency response operations. The Guard also facilitates trips from Tajikistani officials to the United States.

Officers from the Tajikistan Ministry of Defense who specialize in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives response operations conducted an information exchange with personnel for the Virginia National Guard’s 34th Civil Support Team Feb. 21-22, 2017, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The exchange was part of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program that links states and partner nations in support of mutual interests, and their visit also included a tour of the Virginia Emergency Operations Center and meeting with officials from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.